Truck body



Nov. 12, 1.935. Q J. ATWELL 2,020,451

TRUCK BODY Original Filed April 4, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l 4 m d0 f5@ INVENTUR.

tafel H15' ATTORNEY Nov. 12, 193s. G, J, WELL 2,020,451

TRUCK BODY 4Original Filed April 4, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HIS A TTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 12, 1935 PATENT OFFICE TRUCK BODY George J. Atwell, New York, N. Y.

Originalapplication April 4, 1932, Serial No. 602,962. Divided and this application January 26, 1933, Serial No. 653,715

2 Claims. (Cl. 296-51) This invention relates to truck bodies.

This is a division of my copending application Serial No. 602,962, led April 4, 1932 for a Truck body.

The invention has for its object to provide a4 truck which shall have great capacity and which is sturdy, easily unloaded and protects the driver from injury while loading.

The invention and its objects and advantages will be better understood by reference to the drawings and the following description.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side view of a preferred form of the truck body indicating the manner in which it may be mounted on the truck chassis.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the form of truck body shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a cross section of the body taken along the plane 3-3 looking in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the side of the body along the plane 4-4 of Fig. Blocking in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 5 is a rear' view of the truck body,

Fig. 6 is a section of the tail gate along the plane S--S of Fig. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Fig. 'l is a detailed view of the fastening for the tail gate.

Referring to the drawings, the body has a bottom floor consisting of an upper sheet metal plate I0 and a lower plate I2 spaced from it, the spacing between these two plates being substantially filled with an interlini'ng I4 of wood or similar material.

Upon the bottom iioor are supported sides I6 which extend upwardly therefrom preferably vertical for a short distance and then curving outwardly as at I8. At the top the sides i6 are bent over with a relatively sharply curved upper edge 20 and extend downwardly with a lower lip 22.v

This sharp curvature gives great strength to the top of the sides and braces them both sidewise and in an up and down direction.

The upper edge 2D is further reinforced by means of a plate 24 curved to t the sharper curvature of the sides accurately and welded in place.

The sides are braced with respect to the bottom by vertical channels 26 preferably welded to the lower plate I2 of the bottom floor. Between the channels 2S and the metallic sheet sides IS is interposed a stiening plate 30 bent to thecurvature of the sides I6 and welded fast for the purpose of giving a very rigid support to the channels 28 and prevent any buckling of the sides at this point. The channels or braces 26 extend the height of the sides I6 and the legs 28 of these channels are cut to fit substantially the curvature of the plate 30 and are welded fast to that plate.

The channels 26 are spaced apart at substantial intervals as shown in Fig. 1 and support the l sides rigidly. Preferably below the bottom plate I2 and the channels 2S are-provided suitable I- beams 32 which are supported from the lower plate I2 by downwardly extending ends 34 of the plate I2 which hook below the I-beams 32 as at lo 36. These I-beams 32 are preferably welded in place to give a maximum of rigidity.

The arrangement of. sidesv with their bracing and the bottom floor gives a maximum of rigidity to the construction to prevent Spreading of the 15 sides i6 when subjected to heavy loads. The upper edge of the sides I6 are surmounted by wooden rails 38 which are either riveted or bolted fast so that they may be easily replaced when worn out.

At the front end of the body is provided a head plate 40 preferably welded to the sides I6 and reinforced at the corners with suitable angles 42. Horizontally across the head plate 40 is positioned a wooden brace 42 supported by-angles 44 suit- 25 ably attached to the head plate. Extending upwardly from the head plate 46 is provided a cab guard 46 approximately to the level of the top of the drivers cab 48 and thence forwardly and partly over the top of the cab as shown at 5D. 30

The body is especially designed for heavy loads of either rock or loose material, such as dirt, and is particularly adapted to be used as a dump body. For this purpose it is hinged as at 52 upon the frame 54 of the truck chassis. When being used 35 with damp material which packs tightly in the truck, dump bodies are troubled with sticking of the material to the truck so that they do not dump easily. To avoid this difllculty this invention provides the sides I6 diverging with respect 40 to each other toward the rear of the truck as shown in Fig. 2. With the least starting of the load when the body is in dumping position the entire contents of the body will slide out at the minimum of resistance on the sides I 6.' there be- 45 ing no obstructing braces within the body.

At the rear ofthe truck is provided a tail gate in two sections 52 and 54 both of which swing to vertical positions when released. The lower section 52 is preferably hinged upon brackets 56 at 50 the bottom floor of the body and consists of a rectangular plate 58 with vertically extending side edges so as to extend for a considerable distance beyond the sides I6. No spreading of the sides I6 can therefore form a crack between the lower 55 section 52 of the tail gate and the rearmost edges of the sides i6. The margins of the tail gate 52 are preferably provided with reinforcing angles 6D to provide rigidity. The plate 58 is also reinforced by the straps 62 and the hinges 64 passing through the lower angles 60.

The lower section 52 of the tail gate is held closed preferably by the device shown in Figs. 5 and which includes laterally extending bars 66 suitably attached to the upper angle 60 and extending therebeyond to a position adjacent brackets 68 mounted on the rearmost side braces l0 of the sides i6. The bars 66' and the brackets S8 are provided with holes 12 and l4 respectively. In the hole 14 is provided a link which is adapted to loop over the bar 66 beyond the hole l2 and permit a curved pin I8 to be inserted into the hole to prevent accidental removal of the link G6. The pin 16 is preferably provided with a chain 18 for permanent attachment to the body.

At the rear end of the body and at the top of the sides i6 are provided brackets 80 on either side of the body which are adapted t'o receive a hinge bolt 82 threaded -at at least one e'nd and provided with a nut 84. This bolt when in place and screwed up acts as a. tie between the two sides IS to prevent spreading. It functions furthermore as a hinge-pin for the upper section 54 of the tail gate which is provided with hinges 85 through which the bolt passes.

The upper section 54 ofthe tail gate is of less height than the section 52 and is formed of a plate 88 edged with angles 90 for stillness. The plate 88 at its lower edge extends beyond the lower angle S and is bentslightiy backwardly as at 92 to be engaged by the lower section of the gate 52, as shown in Fig. 6. Thus when both sections of the gate are in the closed position the lowerzsection 52 holds the upper section 54 closed. The bolt 82 is relatively long and in order to -protect it from damage a guard plate 94 is provided suitably attached to the inner side of the plate 88, the hinges 86 and sp2-ced from the latter. The plate 94 is bent to pass up about the bolt 82 and to the rear over the tail gate to form a guard or protecticn against falling rock and the like. Being'protected in this way the bolt 82 never can be bent and is easily removable.

The truck herein described is for very heavy duty and is especially adapted for use in connection with steam shovels and loading of huge pieces of rock from excavations and the like. Previously. truck bodies for this use have had a very short life, being not suillciently protected structurally because of inherent weaknesses. Pieces lof rock of ten weighing more than a ton are dropped into these trucks from which it may be seen that great sturdiness is required. These rocks are jagged and when landing on edge, as for instance on the sides or the bottom of the truck, can easily do great damage.

The flooring of the truck above described'is adapted to withstand shocks, being protected from wear by the sheet metal upper plate i0 and 10 from the shock by the wooden interlining I4 which supports the upper plate i0.

The sides I6 are very rigid due to the `curva ture of the upper edge and the wooden rails preferably of oak at 38. In this case the rails 38 15 receive the impact from the dropping materialA and while they will wea'r out comparatively quickly, theyare easily and cheaply replaced. Furthermore, the eab is protected both from the l bursting in of the front plate 40 which is rein- 20 forced by the wooden bar or brace 42 also replaceabie, and by the cab guard 46, 50, which, while it may be bent, will break the force of the material dropping toward the' cab.

Thus by the above construction are accomplished, among others, the objects and advantages hereinbefore referred to.v

I claim: Y

1. A truck body having a bottom oor and sheet metal sides extending upwardly therefrom partly vertical and pa'rtly curving outwardly and terminating at the top in a curved upper edge, a

tail gate in sections, one of said sections beinghinged at said bottom floor to swing freely to a vertical open position and the other section hinged from said sides toV swing to a vertical open posi- `tion and means on the `second section engaged by the first said section to hold said second section in closed position.

2. A truck body having a bottom floor having sheet metal sides extending upwardly therefrom partly vertical and partly curving upwardly and terminating at the 'top in a curved upper edge, bracing throughout the height of said sides supported by the bottom Iioor, and a vertically dis- 45 cERrtElcA'rE or CORRECTION. y

Parent No. 2,020,451. n E November 12. 193s.

GEORGE JV. ArwELL lt is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, second column, lines 48 and 50, respectively. claim 2,. after "vertical" 'insert open; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that 'the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office. Signed and sealed this 14th day of January. A. l). 1936.

Leslie Frazer (Seal) Acting Lorn-Issioaer of Patents. 

